**3. Morphological characters**

*Goats (Capra) - From Ancient to Modern*

accounts for 107,545 km2

**2. Breed characteristics**

Pashmina is a precious animal fibre for its warmth, firmness, lightness and softness apart from to dye absorbing property in comparison to mohair or wool. Pashmina is a valuable fibre for quality designer apparels. Guinness Book of World Records has accredited it with the reputation of being costliest cloth in the world after ban imposed on natural fibre Shahtoosh (called as King of fibre) produced from small Tibetan Antelope known as *Chiru*. Fifty tonnes of pashmina was produced in India during 2005–2006, 80% of which was obtained from *Changthangi* breed. Fibre obtained from goats with <19 μm of diameter is termed as cashmere however, the Changthangi fibre has average diameter of 10–14 μm, making it the best. Pashmina shawls which are brilliantly dyed are prepared from *Changthangi goats* are a fashion sensation with essential elements of style and comfort throughout the world [8]. Besides *Changthangi goats*, *Changluk* sheep (used for meat purpose) is an essential part of pashmina goat based trans-humance delivery system. It serves as alternative source of income for sustenance of *Changpa* when the production system fails. The Changpas rearing the pashmina goats in the Changthang region have a significant contribution to the economy of Ladakh (cold arid region, which

of the total 387,390 km2

generate very much lesser returns than its potential.

ancestry, relatively only a few generations back (**Figure 1**).

*Pashmina goats leaving for grazing. Source: Beigh (author of this chapter).*

region is a hot arid Indo-Gangetic plain and peninsular India [9]. Nomads encounter a myriad of problems, like, poor living standards, fodder shortage, no market accessibility and involvement of huge investments. These hindrances render nomads to

This goat (*Capra hircus*), a mammal belonging to subfamily Caprinae and family Bovidae produces fine, soft and much straighter double fleece of hair called guard hair. These goats are of medium type, their height ranges from 60 to 80 cm. The average weight of male and female pashmina goats is about 45 and 35 kg respectively. They possess wide horns; have blocky builds, and refined features. Pashmina goats occur in different colours. White tends to be dominant but black, brown, red, cream, grey and badger faced are very common. These goats tend to be alert and cautious, rather than docile and placid. These traits are largely due to their feral

zone in the country). Rest of the

**102**

**Figure 1.**

Colour of Changthangi goats generally vary from white to light brown (88% of the goats are white in colour and only 12% have a light brown colour). The colour of the head of Changthangi goats ranges from white to black with a few animals spotting grey head. Birth parameters are: the length is about 26.0 ± 0.2 cm, the height at wither and girths at chest is 27.7 ± 2.0 and 29.9 ± 1.6 cm, respectively. The whole body of the animal is covered with undercoat of pashmina as well as long hair. The face and muzzle are without hair. The ears of Changthangi goats are small in size and erect while the horns possess a typical character. The horns are curved first upward and then backwards, downwards and onwards. The body is observed to be straight and heavy.


### **3.1 Classification of pashmina goats**

Based on the various physical parameters, the world pashmina goats can be classified into four main groups: (1) western, (2) eastern, (3) feral and northern, and (4) Pashmina-Mohair crossbred goats [3].

### *3.1.1 The western (Kirgiz) type*

The principal characteristics are a higher production of undercoat and coarser undercoat fibres than Mongolian and feral goats and undercoat is often longer than the outer coat. Undercoat weight as a percentage of fleece weight is 75–80%, but there is some content of intermediate fibres. Undercoat fibre length is 9–11 cm, fibre diameter 18–20 μm, body weight of adult does 34–36 kg and body weight of adult bucks 55–60 kg.

### *3.1.2 The eastern (Mongolian) type*

The principal characteristics are long outer coat fibres protecting a fine undercoat, and shorter undercoat fibres (5–6 cm) than in the Kirgiz type. Undercoat production is up to 350 g for does and 600 g for bucks, but more for the best animals. The principal aims of selection are a higher undercoat weight and longer undercoat fibres, but no change in undercoat diameter.

### *3.1.3 Feral and northern goats*

Re-domesticated feral goats are relative newcomers in cashmere production, and the population is very heterogeneous and unimproved. Undercoat percentage and production are often smaller than the economics of single-purpose production would require, and the role of these goats in the economy should be viewed, at present at least, from the point of multipurpose production.
